Restoring prāṇa : a theraputic guide to prāṇāyāma and healing through the breath for yoga therapists, yoga teachers, and healthcare practitioners

One of the most common issues clients face is lack of energy, vitality or prana and this book presents a simple yet revolutionary breathing approach to restore balance. Grounded in the yogic teachings, this text introduces the Buteyko breathing method as a more contemporary way of understanding the original intention of pranayama. Through extensive research, Robin Rothenberg establishes that as with Dr. Buteyko's breath retraining technique, the ancient yogis prescribed breathing less not more. Vedic science and physiology are broken down and explained in accessible ways. The book presents a new understanding and application of breathing to address a wide range of ailments, including COPD, asthma, hay-fever, autoimmune disorders, anxiety, sleep apnoea and neurological conditions. "Digestive issues are widespread and prove difficult to address through mainstream medicine. Senior yoga teacher Charlotte Watts sheds light on the connection between the gut and the brain, explains the links between stress, trauma and digestive issues and demonstrates how yoga with its focus on stilling the mind can have profound effects on conditions such as IBS, IBD, acid reflux, colitis, diverticulitis and more. Breath awareness allows the breath to drop into the belly and diaphragm, essential for good digestive function and understanding the fascial connections within the viscera help shape movement that enables optimal function. Fully illustrated with clear diagrams and instructions, this volume provides yoga, movement and medical professionals with a solid understanding of the digestive system in relation to breath, mindfulness, posture, anatomy, movement, stress and trauma. It helps them to apply this knowledge to their practice and teaching approach"--Provided by publisher

Practising regular breathing exercises helps to develop healthy breathing patterns, which can lessen the effects of breathing difficulties caused byCOPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

This is a short, practical guide to using new therapeutic breathing exerciseswhich focus on techniques to reduce breathlessness and control coughing tohelp you to get the most out of every breath. The exercises are simple, easy to follow, and designed to work alongside usual medical care. No special equipment is necessary, you can practise in your own home at your own pace, and this illustrated guide contains all the information you need to get started.

This handbook will be perfect for anyone with COPD who wants to help manage their breathing difficulties, coughing and fatigue with simple and effective techniques. Professionals working with COPD sufferers, such as physiotherapists, physical therapists and carers, will also find the book of interest.

Practising regular breathing exercises helps to develop healthy breathing patterns, which can lessen the effects of breathing difficulties caused by COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). This is a short, practical guide to using new therapeutic breathing exercises which focus on techniques to reduce breathlessness and control coughing to help you to get the most out of every breath. The exercises are simple, easy to follow, and designed to work alongside usual medical care. No special equipment is necessary, you can practise in your own home at your own pace, and this illustrated guide contains all the information you need to get started. This handbook will be perfect for anyone with COPD who wants to help manage their breathing difficulties, coughing and fatigue with simple and effective techniques. Professionals working with COPD sufferers, such as physiotherapists, physical therapists and carers, will also find the book of interest. Foreword by Richard Miller Introduction: Bhāvana (Intention): Busting Myths 1. The Origins of Prāṇāyāma 2. Prāṇa, the Subtle Body, and the Energy Bank Account 3. The Biochemistry of Respiration 4. Hyperventilation: The Saṃskāra of Breathing Too Much 5. Biomechanical Considerations: Nose versus Mouth 6. Center Stage: The Diaphragm 7. The Core, the Bandhas, and the Breath 8. The Emotional Brain and the Breath 9. The Mind of the Subtle Body: Citta, Chakras, and the Breath 10. Prāṇāyāma as Kumbhāka 11. Therapeutic Applications: Healing Through the Breath Breathing Pattern Disorders Screening In Conclusion Appendix I: Āsana Practices to Restore Prāṇa Appendix II: A Guide to Teaching Functional Breathing for Yoga Teachers, Yoga Therapists, and Healthcare Practitioners Appendix III: Prāṇāyāma Curriculum for Program Directors: Key Concepts and Practices Sanskrit Glossary Physiology Glossary Endnotes Index Acknowledgements "Uncover fearlessness through yoga's methods and disciplines with this guide. This book offers a medically-proven approach to help students and clients uncover their own radiance that is hidden by fear and anxiety. Yoga offers a readily-accessible system for courageous living, and this book explains how to use simple and quick yoga therapy methods for accessing the vagus nerve, resulting in instant relief from symptoms of fear, including depression, anxiety and rage. It offers asana, pranayama and dhyana exercises that help to eliminate 'worry chatter', directly affecting the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for fearful thoughts. Addressing many components of fear, the book explains when fear is useful and when it is not, and teaches how to reprogram responses to uncertain circumstances so that they can be dealt with in a healthy way"--Publisher description Yoga has become increasingly popular in mainstream culture, with varied interpretations of how it should be taught and practiced, and increased awareness of its beneficial effects as a healing modality. As a result, yoga therapy has emerged as an effective alternative approach to health and wellness. Explaining the principles and underpinning ideas presented by the yoga therapy movement, James Foulkes identifies the methods leading to the most effective practice. Applying a principles-based approach, he explores the concept of delivering yoga therapeutically and discusses more complete ways of thinking about anatomy and the wholeness of the human being, using theories, illustrations, and case studies. Yoga therapy practitioners will learn to improve their work and more effectively support their clients. The intention for this book A brief history of yoga therapy My branch of the yoga tree and scope of practice Integrative living anatomy How to use this book What is a principle/theme? Breath Centering Creating the conditions Effortlessness Elasticity and tension Feeling connections Generating aliveness Ground and gravity Lightness Rhythm and timing Space Our fluid selves The importance of squatting and kneeling Time, focus and attention Client skills Communication and learning styles Emotional balance and the nervous system Language in yoga therapy The therapeutic journey Working with clients in pain Practitioner self-care Beyond asana. This is a short, practical and illustrated guide to using a particular set of breathing exercises, the Buteyko Method, which can lessen the effects of breathing difficulties caused by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). They focus on relaxed, nasal, diaphragmatic breathing and are designed to work alongside conventional medical care. Understand how to help clients relieve symptoms of fear and anxiety through yoga therapy. This book explains how to weave feelings of security into daily living, by helping the body to unlearn habit patterns from stored trauma. It features dynamic postures, calming breathing exercises and meditations alongside the latest fascia research. Yoga is an increasingly popular way of treating the digestive issues which have become common in the western world, and now affect one in five people in the UK. By combining scientific evidence with traditional yogic practices, Charlotte Watts reveals how yoga can be used to alleviate digestive problems such as IBS, IBD and more. Provides a brief history of yoga therapy before offering a new way to think about anatomy and the wholeness of the human being. Through case studies, the author explores different principles of practice with tips for yoga therapy practitioners to develop their working client relationship and their own conditioning.